I walked to school with Yukari on Thursday. Risky move, I know, but I wanted to drill her for information on Fuuka.
She refused to talk about it though, other than the fact that yes, we were both making progress.
Sigh.
Junpei refused to talk about it flat out, and Akihiko and Mitsuru assumed I was asking for help.
So what choice did I have? Sulking in a corner won't get me answers.
I took Hidetoshi investigating. He was working on trying to find out who was smoking in the bathroom, and he told me that he was considering going into the alleys behind port island station after school, where all the bad kids hung out.
I went with him. Why?
A) Because I was doing my own investigation,
B) Social link
C) I used to run with this kind of crowd.
"What you want?" Lad A asked. Chariot.
"Just bored, mate." I answered, slapping his hand. "Can't stand all the self-righteous pricks at gecko high!"
I could feel Hidetoshi's surprise as the two guys there laughed. "Damn, what's going down there now?" Mate B said, Strength.
"The teachers are in uproar over some fucking cigarette butt found in the crapper." I shrugged.
I felt Hidetoshi's penny drop as he asked "Honestly… Who'd be that stupid?"
Thankfully, I'd gotten him to pocket the disciplinary committee armband before hand, which he saw as common sense. Why interrogate someone when you can ask nicely?
"Seriously?" Lad A laughed. "Ah man… don't those kids know how to fucking flush?"
Lad A knows nothing. "That's what I thought." I sighed. "Since the fucking teachers are all ass-tight about it, it's ruined it for the rest of us, innit?"
"Hey, come here if ever you wanna smoke!" Mate B offered.
"It's cool." I said, lifting up a sleeve. I'd stuck a round sticker there earlier, looked just like a nicotine patch. "Don't wanna overdo it."
"Come on, live a little!" Mate B egged me on.
"Plan to." I smirked. "You hear anything good?"
"Yep. Quiet!" Lad A laughed.
"Couple of girls started hanging around here, going on and on about some girl called Fuuka." Mate B explained.
Ears perked. "Yeah?"
"Only they've stopped coming lately, hopefully for good!" Mate B said.
Hidetoshi caught on here. "One of them a green haired girl called Maki?"
"Yeah, actually…" Lad A leaned forward to look at Hidetoshi. "You know her?"
"Not really." I shook my head. "Girl found unconscious outside school gate few days ago."
That surprised them. "No shit?"
Hidetoshi nodded. "She hasn't woken up since."
"Fucking hell…" Said Mate B. "What about the other girls?"
"Dunno." I said, standing up. "I'll have to get back to ya on that one." I walked away from them. "Later!"
"See ya!"
"Adios!"
"So, you investigating into that so called 'ghost story'?" Hidetoshi asked once we'd climbed the stairs into the train station.
"Nope." I answered, pulling off my 'nicotine' patch. "Actually investigating some bullying, looks like the ghost story's related."
Hidetoshi nodded. "I'll get you the names of any other girls who've been absent lately, just in case."
"Thanks." I said, grabbing his shoulder. "Shame we didn't get the same luck for your smoker."
"Yeah… well, that suggests that the smoker isn't open about it, nor is he a proper 'bad ass', as it were." He looked at me. "Thanks Minato-kun."
SMASH
Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Emperor Arcana
Now, there's one that doesn't sound foreboding for once.
Hidetoshi was good on his word, and he mailed me the names of the other girls during Friday lunch. See? This is what happens when people work together on their investigations.
Surprising. Since last Friday, seven girls have been reported absent, one of them Fuuka, Maki, and other girls in 2-E.
How the hell had this happened without anyone else putting two and two together? Hell, Mitsuru takes great pride in this school. How the hell has this escaped her attention?
Yukari's not gonna like this.
Speak of the devil…
"Well, today's Friday!" She looked happy. "Did you two ask around, like I asked?"
"Huh?" Junpei asked. "We had something planned for today?" Yukari gave him an evil glare amongst evil glares. "I'm just kidding!" He flinched. "Sheesh… you have such a short temper…"
"Then we'll meet in the dorm after school." She declared. "Don't forget!"
"Yes Ma'am…" Junpei groaned.
"Yes Haruhi…" I mumbled, earning myself a punch in the shoulder. "Ow!"
"Okay, as we agreed on Monday, we'll now hold a meeting to discuss what we learned." Yukari announced once we were in the dorm.
Junpei whistled. "Wow, you're really getting into this…"
"Of course!" Yukari beamed. "I've got lots of good info. Turns out, no angry ghost was involved."
I raised my hand. "Sorry, I'm gonna have to stop you there."
"Huh?" Yukari snapped to attention. "What makes you sure?"
"Want me to just tell you why or shall I explain everything I found in a manner that makes sense?" I asked.
"Just get it over with now Minato." Junpei said, vaulting the back of the couch and laying down on it.
I got into a crouch on the armchair, but Yukari remained standing. "Welcome," I said, lifting the torch to my chin "To Minato's Believe it, Or Don't!"
"Ugh, not this again…" Yukari rolled her eyes.
"Hey! Get your own spooky skit!" an annoyed Junpei said, completely missing the fact that I was mocking him.
"Fine then…" I stood up normally and tossed the torch aside. I was looking forward to that too. "Turns out that the girl was eaten by an angry ghost."
"WHAT?" Yukari was enraged.
"Nice one man!" Junpei found it hilarious.
"Take this seriously, why don't you!" Yukari was fuming.
"I am." I didn't even have to try to keep a straight face. "That girl, amongst others, have fallen victim to an angry ghost, which is why the rumour spread so fast." Yukari was getting really mad now. "For now, we'll code name the ghost 'Shadow'."
Yukari calmed down quickly. "Wait, does that mean—?"
"It's just a code name, don't jump to conclusions." There's still a 0.0031 percent chance that Empress wasn't behind this, but I'm not supposed to know that yet. "Anyway. This girl, and others, are showing symptoms of Apathy Syndrome, but since the others fell victim at home, Maki-san was the only one widely known about."
"Maki?" Junpei asked.
"The girl found outside the school gates." I explained. "But that's not all. These girls all shared a particular hobby. Can you guess what it is?"
"Hanging around behind the train station…" Yukari seemed impressed.
"Close, but that's only where they discussed their hobby." I said, getting a surprised look from Yukari. "You didn't go there and ask, did you?"
"No, I was gonna suggest we do that tomorrow night…" Yukari admitted.
"The HELL!" Junpei leaped to his feet. "Are you Freaking INSANE?"
"Debatable. I went there yesterday afternoon." I told him with a shrug. "They're alright, so long as you know how to deal with them."
"Alright? ALRIGHT!" Junpei was getting into a panic. "I don't know if you realise this, since you're not from around here, but bad kids in Japan carry bats. AND KNIVES!"
"Bad kids in England carry spiked bats, knives, bricks, guns, explosives and flamethrowers."
"Eh—Wha—Dude, that's just messed…" Junpei slouched back onto the couch. "How the hell do you even get flamethrowers' anyways!"
"Oh, it's easy." I explained. "You get a can of deodorant and—"
"Minato!"
"Huh? Oh, right, ghost story." Back on topic. "They went there to talk about the things they did to one Fuuka"
"Fuuka?" Junpei asked, leaning back up. "Fuuka Yamagishi?"
"I think so." I replied, nodding, "But that was only two witnesses. I want to go back there on Saturday night for confirmation."
"Great!" Yukari replied. "I'll come too."
"What?" Junpei came back up. "You're out of your minds!"
"Come on Junpei." I encouraged him. "It's nothing to Tartarus."
"Huurrrgh. When you put it like that, I don't have a choice do I?" he groaned.
"I still don't get how you can be afraid of ghosts, but not this!" Junpei hissed on the way there.
"A lot of people are afraid of things they can't see." Yukari reasoned.
"I'm not afraid of the dark." I noted.
"You're probably afraid of the ninjas hiding in the dark," she scoffed.
I smirked at that. She's closer than she thinks.
"We're here." I said, leading the way down the stairs. "Remember, act natural." I'd made sure that we got changed out of our school uniforms before coming.
That, and I'd made it clear not to bring any weapons. No bats, no knives, ESPECIALLY no Evokers. Guys like these could smell weapons from a mile away, and they didn't like it coming from anyone but their own clique.
I'll tell you the story behind that little lesson another time. It's the one where I began to hate knives. Not the one where I made my rule, different story altogether.
Something I mentioned in the meeting last night, they don't like Gekkoukan High, but they've nothing against Gekkoukan high students who hate the school. However, this meant that they'd change out of their uniforms as soon as they got home.
I for one was wearing one of Junpei's baseball caps with a black hoodie over it. Add my hair, and you could barely see my face. Yukari had gone for something stylish, and Junpei was wearing a coat over a vest.
Yep. We look in no way suspicious at all.
Everyone turned to look at us as we walked down the alley. "…The fuck?" One guy asked. I didn't see either of my two 'mates' from Thursday.
"Oh, man…" Junpei moaned to himself. "This is worse than I thought…"
"Hey, You!" A couple of guys approached us. "I think you're in the wrong place."
"Uh… Why… Well…" Junpei stammered. I kept my head down.
"You don't belong here… Get it?" One guy threatened him. "Beat it Goatee."
"G-Goatee?" Junpei stumbled, "Oh, Y-You mean me…"
Dammit Junpei. Don't submit to their authority, but don't challenge it either. That's the key to dealing with people like this diplomatically. Level ground…
"We don't need your permission to be here." Yukari announced loudly.
Ah, crap. I should have told them not to say anything without my cue while I was laying down ground rules.
"H-hey, are you nuts?" Junpei whispered to her. "Take a look around you!"
"I'm not blind, ya know." Yukari said loud and clear. "Come on, don't be intimidated by these scum!"
Aaaannd the Darwin Award for stunning contribution to the survival of the fittest, going above and beyond the call of duty, goes to…
"What was that?" one thug snapped, rising.
Drum roll please.
Pharos began to air-drum while stamping his feet quickly.
"She just called us Scum!" another snarled.
…
"Let's get 'em!"
D-dish!
Congratulations, Yukari Take-
"We'll post some pictures that will make her daddy cry!" one of the skanky girls said. "She'll wish she had never been born!"
Wait, last minute contestant…
"Hahahahahahaha! Oh, that's so clever…"
"Ugh, these guys are the worst…" Yukari asked, and I glanced at her.
She has no idea that she was just sentenced a gang-rape, does she?
"You oughta shut that fucking trap of yours!" the biggest of them said, storming towards them. Wow, this was tense – who would 'win'? Well, it was close, but the prize goes to…
"I feel sorry for you man…" the biggest asshole laughed. "That bitch is a pain in the fucking ass!" And he punched Junpei in the stomach.
"Guh!" He fell to his knees.
"Junpei!" Yukari cried.
"Hey pretty boy!" He turned on me, and suddenly, we had a winner! Congratulations... "I don't like your fucking face either!" THAT GUY! "Got anything to say before I—"
SMASH! Hands in my hoodie pockets, I kneed him in the chin. Blood flew, and I stepped on his oversized belt buckle so I could shove my other kneecap there too. CRACK!
Oooh, I like that sound. I rested my raised leg onto his collarbone and pushed him to the ground like a skateboard.
WHAM! Oh, he's out cold.
"Bit overkill," Pharos said as I drew myself to full height. "But impressive. I'll give you an eight for effort."
Only an eight? Let's push that score higher.
"I'm sorry, but it sounded like someone was going suggesting something that I wouldn't be happy with." I asked as knives left the thugs' pockets.
I reached down and grabbed a loose brick from the ground. It had a familiar weight.
The brick. The weapon that taught me the difference between a schoolyard brawl and fighting for your life in the gutter.
I flicked it into the air and caught it in a reverse grip. "Am I gonna have to fuck someone over?" I asked, tilting my head back and glaring at my opponents.
In the end, old reliable rocks are my weapon of choice against other people.
Fear flashed across everyone's faces. There's another story I'll have to tell you. Never steal from a drug dealer's car. My leg didn't quite heal right.
Then a tall, dark figure strode forward like he owned the place. He probably did. "That's enough." he said.
Oh crap… It's Shinji.
"They didn't know what they were getting into." He said. "I'll make sure they leave, alright?"
"Who do you think you are, dumbass?" Wow, the guy who said that is stupid. He deserves a Darwin Honourable Mention at the least. Still, he seemed to have the rest of the guys here backing him up. We needed to play this cool...
"Was I talking to you?" Shinji asked him as if he were an idiot.
Wait, what?
"That's it!" another guy shouted, knife flashing as he charged at. "YOU'RE FUCKIN' DEA-!"
Shinji didn't even take his hands out of his pockets, didn't even move a step. CRUNCH, and the thug was down and out.
Dude, did he just headbutt that guy?
"See Minato?" Pharos pointed out. "He gets a ten out of ten for awesome, and he didn't even have to put any effort into it."
Quiet, you…
"Fuck you Shinjiro…" Another guy growled. "I thought you were one of us!"
Shinji tilted his head. "What gave you that idea?" he asked. "I don't remember swearing a blood oath."
"And now it's eleven." Pharos commented. "You just got outdone." Grr… "More like 'Gar'"
"You sunuva… You just fucking crossed the motherfuckin' line!" other guy shouted. "You think you're fuckin' getting home alive?"
"Sure do." Shinji smirked, getting into a stance with his hands still in his pocket. "Wanna give it a try?"
"Now it's Twelve." Pharos said. Stop counting, dammit! He's awesome, I get it!
The guy rubbing his head got off the ground. "F-FUCK this!" He began to run for it.
"Wait." I said, stepping off the unconscious guy, and palming the brick. "You forgot something."
"You were trying to look cool, so it doesn't count." Dammit.
"Hahaha," Girls who decided the gang-rape laughed. "What a dick-head!" they shouted as they walked away, leaving the two other guys carrying their unconscious friend, presumably to hospital, since I think I broke his jaw.
He got off lucky. I was prepared to spill blood.
Once we were alone, Junpei stood up. "Oh, man, Senpai, that was awesome!" Did everyone forget just what I did? I was matrix level for crying out loud!
"YOU IDIOTS!" Hey, Shinji agrees with me—oh, that was directed at me too. "Get out of here, this place isn't for you!"
"Wait!" Yukari shouted as he turned to leave. "We came here for a reason!"
Shinji stopped and turned back. "You guys… you were at the hospital…" I pulled off my hood and hat. "Yeah, I remember you… did Aki tell you to come?"
Aki? They sound close. "No. He didn't." I said, tossing the brick aside. "I did."
The brick crunched against a lamppost. It was a good brick, but I was making a point.
"That's right, you're running the operations now, aren't you?" Shinji asked. Yukari and Junpei had no idea what he was on about, but I wasn't surprised. "So what do you want to know, about that ghost story?"
"Uh, Yeah…" Yukari said. "How'd you know?" she asked, as Shinji moved towards some steps.
"It's a rumour…" He said, sitting down. "Those girls who wound up at the hospital were down here talking shit about some girl called Fuuka."
Told you they were picking on her.
Shinji nodded. "That's why they're saying that it's Fuuka's spirit that did it." Wait, what? "I hear it's all over the net too."
"Fuuka's sprit?" Yukari asked. "What do you mean by that?"
"You guys don't know?" Shinji stood up. "This Fuuka girl might be dead."
Wait, what?
"She hasn't been home in over a week." Shinji pointed out, getting angry. "Don't you guys go to school? How do you not know this?"
How did we not know this?
"You serious?" Junpei asked. "I thought she was sick! But… She's missing?"
And those girls were registered as absent, not hospital bound… wait...
"So much for the ghost story…" Yukari said. "Mr. Ekoda is the home room teacher for 2-E right?" The one who was hiding fear related to bullying? Wait… "Does he know about this?"
"I bet he's covering it up." I said.
That got everyone's attention, even Shinji. "Those girls weren't marked down as hospitalised, and he's been hiding fear all week." I pointed out.
"When you rule out the impossible," Pharos said, "Then whatever is left, no matter how improbable, is the most probable."
That doesn't really fit in this situation though, Pharos.
"Holmes is the only detective I know," he shrugged, apparently unworried about this whole situation.
Batman's a detective.
"I get it Aki…" Shinji said to himself. "Still trying to make up for the past… It's you who can't let go…" He suddenly noticed us. "Nothing… That's all I know." He glared. "Satisfied?"
"Y-Yeah!" Junpei bowed. "Thanks Senpai! Come on," He said to me and Yukari. "Show some appreciation!"
"Thanks! You totally helped us out!" Yukari bowed. "You're very kind!"
"Huh?" Shinji asked.
"I- Um…" Yukari shook her head. "Nevermind…"
"Tch…" Shinji started to walk away.
"Wait!" I ran after him, stepping in front of him.
"What do you want?" Shinji asked, staring me down.
I stared right back at him, but he didn't budge a fraction of an inch. Checking I was out of earshot for Junpei and Yukari, I said in a low voice, "I want you to reconsider leaving S.E.E.S."
If he was surprised, he didn't show it, choosing to push me aside instead. "Don't ever come here again…" And he walked away.
Well, that failed. I'll see Igor tomorrow, things are gonna go down Monday morning.